RANGOON, Burma – Voters in cyclone-hit areas of Burma, renamed Myanmar by the ruling military junta, have overwhelmingly approved a constitution that critics say will perpetuate the military's decades-old grip on power in this Southeast Asian nation.
State radio said Monday the constitution was approved by a 92 percent vote in a referendum held in the Irrawaddy delta and Rangoon on Saturday. The turnout was 26 out of 27 million eligible voters.
The Saturday balloting did not alter results of the main May 9 referendum, which also approved the constitution by a huge vote.
Critics say the document was drafted under the direction of the ruling military and ensures that the generals will have the final say in running the country.
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